March 27, 2000 -- 8:15 PM EST

Had a great weightlifting session today. Also got the newer version of QuarkExpress at the office, so I'll be working later tonight when everyone goes to sleep and I can have quiet. @whee!

Let's talk about the crap I ate for dinner.

Paul brought home KFC because his mom requested it and he asked me if I'd be ok with it. I said fine, and I had the side dishes and closed my eyes to veganism -- coleslaw, biscuits, potato wedges. I got possessed by the smell of the chicken, not for the chicken but for the breading. I stole a corner off it and chewed on it thinking -- what spices are in here? What vegetables could I batter up this way? Then I was disappointed when I swallowed because even though I liked the flaking breading and the seasonings, it was just a gross thing to eat.

My lips feel coated with fat now and I have this sick aftertaste in my mouth of vaguely chicken even though I didn't eat any chicken parts. It's not worth it, not even to have a taste of the spicy breading. Ugh. I hope I don't start dwelling on it later and then feel sick to my stomach.

That's what I get for not eating lunch earlier! Being too hungry to think clearly about my food chocies. Although in the fast food department, I would have preferred a veggie cheeseless pizza from Papa John's or a Subway Garden Patty thingie over KFC food.

Paul was talking to his mom and idly commented it' had been years since we have KFC -- which is true. I banished that one way before I went vegetarian. So fucking greasy. Don't people find it gross to have fat laden lips? Greasy fingers? And if he can eat KFC as soon as he gets home then he can eat dinner as soon as he gets home. No more of this nap crap!

KFC has some healthy "on the go" eating tips. I laughed my ass off. It's all slanted so that you eat KFC food. They used the tips from some author guy and then added their own little spin.

Like this (my notes in red):

Fill up on fiber

• Vegetables are a great source of fiber! Check out KFC's BBQ Baked BeansÑloaded with vitamins and low in fat (only 3 grams!) What's the sodium count like?

Power up with protein, down with carbs

• Start the day with proteinÑeggs for breakfast and lean chicken for lunchÑlike KFC's new Tender Roast¨ sandwich featuring a plump and juicy, marinated white meat filet that is slow roasted and topped with shredded lettuce, sliced tomato and a tangy pepper-herb sauce with a touch of garlic. The Tender Roast¨ sandwich contains 270 calories and 5 grams of fat (177 grams total weight) when ordered without the sauce. The tangy Honey BBQ sandwich has 310 calories and 6 grams of fat (178 grams total weight) Because if we don't power up with protein, there isn't much on the menu you can sell us!

Size does matter

• No need to eat a large meal all alone! Split side orders with a friend or save half for tomorrowÕs lunch. But definitely don't just order the kiddie meal or side orders alone to begin with, get the big fat family meal deals! We get more money from you that way!

Any my fav...

Speak up!

• Ask for your vegetables to be steamedÑnot cooked with oil. KFCÕs corn on the cob is a great betÑwith only 1.5 grams of fat!! Fast-food restaurants should always be willing to accommodate your requests. Yeah, they should, but you can't get any modifications made without going through a big fat fucking hassle. Who the hell are you kidding? Steamed vegetables at KFC? Give me a break!

Then I decided to figure out how my dinner was like calorie-wise. What a pain in the ass. First, the KFC doesn't have a link right from the main area to the nutrition info. You have to get to it from "KFC Restaurant."

They must be ashamed or something to not have it on the main sidebar.

Next, all the serving sizes go by weight, with no other alternate. Like I know how many grams of something I eat! We are NOT metric in the US. Why bother listing that? Then the ounces don't help any because who weighs food? Why can't they list it by cup or half cup?

So then I try to estimate:

Do I feel full? Not really. I'll probably eat again later.

Was it about what I expected? Yeah.

Am I surprised? Not really.

Could I be fuller on less? Yup -- done it many times when I'm the one making dinner -- about 500-600 calories will do it for me when I'm eating whole grains and produce.

What do I think of the total calories? I usually eat about 1800 calories total a day lately. So eating close to 1600 in one meal -- that's whacked!

What do I think of the total fat calories? What do you expect out of KFC food?

What do I think of the total fat grams? Given that no more than 30% of calories are supposed to come from fat, and for my age/height/build that works out to 60 ish grams, coming out with 54 grams at ONE meal is also whacked!

Fast Food. More like the fast route to health hell, since that's all people seem to eat. Bah.

~Astrophe